Cage-Free Future
We are working toward a national policy to ban gestation crates on pig farms and small cages at laying hen facilities.
The Issue
Many breeding pigs and laying hens are confined in cages that barely allow the animals to move more than a few inches. Animals built to move should be allowed to move, and this kind of extreme confinement is inhumane, producing adverse psychological and physical effects for the animals conscripted into food production for humanity.
Leaders
So far dozens of major food retailers including Safeway, McDonald’s and Subway have pledged to phase out the use of pork or eggs from producers who confine sows in gestation crates by 2022 or laying hens in cages by 2025.
The Business Case
Alternatives such as electronic sow feeding systems and pasture-based operations for laying hens provide better living environments than cages or crates. Food retailers that do not meet high standards for living environments risk compromising their reputation and the public’s trust. Plant-based foods offer additional options for consumers and to reduce stocking densities.
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